Portable devices
On this page extensive information about maintenance and repair of portable playback and recording devices.
Difficulty Index:
★ = Easy
No danger to you or the device you work with.
★★ = Challenging
You are not in danger but your devices are so be careful what you do. Expect some challenge.
★★★ = Average
You work with electrical appliances and fragile parts, you disassemble and examine appliances. Although power to the device is not always necessary during work, there is a risk of electric shock.
★★★★ = Difficult
You are going to test devices with power on. There is very little room for errors and parts are rare, expensive or no longer available.
★★★★★ = Expertise
Fast rotating parts, electricity and measurements. Replacing or treating small fragile parts. Almost impossible repairs, work only if you have the right knowledge, and are not afraid of breaking your device if you make a mistake.
There is also a indication of the costs, these are based on parts to be purchased, and are calculated on the basis that nothing breaks during the process.
Purchase costs of the device/medium itself are not included.
Finally, some repairs are not yet completed, the button to these is colored orange.
Low = €0 to €50
Medium = €50 to €100
High = €100 or more!
Page 1:
- Sony WM-BF22 Walkman
- Philips D 8000 Microcassette Recorder & Radio
- Sony TCM-6 Cassette-Corder
- Sony WM-DD30 Walkman
- Sony TCS-370 Cassette-Corder
- Realistic SCP-7 Stereo Mate
- Sony WM-24 Walkman
- Sony WM-R202 Walkman
- Apple iPod Nano 6th Gen. Mp3 player
A Sony Walkman from 1988, in this case a special edition of the WM-BF22 series. In addition to its cassette player, this type of walkman also has a built-in AM/FM radio. Obviously the Walkman is not working properly, could it be the belt that needs to be replaced or is the cause elsewhere? And then the other question remains, how we are going to open this Walkman? Since there is no screw anywhere in the housing... With this repair we dive into the Sony WM-BF22 and patch it up again.
★★★ = Average
Low = €0 to €50
What a visit to the flea market can yield is always a surprise. This time I was treated to an almost flawless Philips D8000 Micro cassette recorder with built-in alarm clock and radio!
According to the seller, he put it away working years ago but did not know what his condition was at the time. Since it can be found here on the repair page, that probably explains the outcome.... Take a look and discover what this device has to offer.
★★★★ = Hard
Low = €0 to €50
The Sony TCM-6 Cassette-Corder.
This Cassette-corder from 1986 comes with a brand new cover and original manual. It doesn't work, that's why it can be found on this page.
The repair is almost perfect, but along the way I come across two small dots that I had not counted on...
★★ = Challenging
Low = €0 to €50
The Sony WM-DD30 Walkman!
Once you start using this Walkman, you won't want to use another one. Sony's "DD" Walkmans series are well-known, they look good and certainly give a good sound!
The WM-DD30 is the penultimate of the DD series and came on the market in 1989.
DD stands for "Disc Drive" so no belt is required for the drive, which provides a more stable sound during playback.
This DD30 still worked on arrival, but when playing and winding, a clear 'click' can be heard. So I'm going to take it apart to see what's causing this noise, and how I can fix it.
★★★★ = Hard
Low = €0 to €50
The Sony TCS-370 Cassette-Corder.
For a still reasonable amount to buy through a second-hand website, including the original cover.
It works, but it needs some maintenance. I'm going to see if I can manage it, because judging by the functions and feeling the weight, this can be a fairly complicated repair.
Lucky I was able to find the maintenance manual. So for a change I'm going to work exactly by the book and see if I can get this otherwise beautiful Walkman back in good working condition.
★★★ = Medium
Low = €0 to €50
Realistic SCP-7
An afternoon of shopping can sometimes yield something interesting, a thrift shop that I visit regularly sometimes wants to sell Walkmans for nice prices. This time they had two for the same price!
However, this Realistic cassette player is a bit different, a quick check in the store shows it still plays and quite well, it still has some flaws that hopefully are easy to fix...
★★ = Challenging
Low = €0 to €50
The Sony WM-24 Walkman.
A Walkman from 1985. It is the successor of the successful WM-22 with the small addition of Dolby B noise reduction.
It has been on the shelf for a while, due to unfortunate circumstances it is high time to take a closer look, quite literally even. The repair is not complicated, but of course everything takes a different turn...
★★★★ = Difficult
Low = €0 to €50
The Sony WM-R202 Walkman.
I've been hunting for a device like this for years, they are rare, pricey and in the Walkmans category one of the best you can get! Many people who have consciously experienced and used the tape could only dream of a Walkman like this one. Now I have one on my table. It works, the belt is still intact and in appearance it still looks neat. Despite this, the belt needs to be replaced and it has some minor issues that I need to address.
Difficulty:
★★★ = Medium
Low = €0 to €50
The repair of this walkman is an ongoing case.
Hold on, this is not an analog medium! But it certainly deserves a place here. My trusty old Apple iPod Nano 6th generation, it's the replacement for my Nano 2nd generation which is way past its lifespan.
This 6th generation has also aged well since its purchase in 2011, storage is 'now' limited and the battery is no longer what it used to be. His screen had been damaged for some time and he recently gave up the ghost, but I brought him back to life!
Difficulty:
★★ = Challenging
Low = €0 to €50